Governor candidates taking advantage of donations before new law takes effect

Wednesday

Jan 27, 2010 at 12:01 AMJan 27, 2010 at 12:22 PM

The candidates for governor are showing each day just how new limits on campaign donations aren't in place until next year.

Brian Feldt

The candidates for governor are showing each day just how new limits on campaign donations aren't in place until next year.

A State Journal-Register review of campaign records recently filed by the eight candidates for Illinois governor show they've been busy taking dozens and dozens of donations that won’t be allowed in 2011.

The review found at least $5 million worth of donations from individuals, businesses and unions and political committees to gubernatorial candidates since last July that exceed the new limits enacted last fall to curb the influence of money on state politics. In some cases, the donations make up a large chunk of candidates' money.

The new law was purposely set to take effect next Jan. 1 to not ensure with this campaign cycle. Starting then, the limits will cap individual donations to $5,000, business and union donations to $10,000 and political action committees to $50,000 for each candidate, with some exceptions.

Those limits will force a shift in campaign fundraising efforts, said Kent Redfield, a professor emeritus of political science at the University of Illinois at Springfield.

"It will reduce the amount of money, obviously, but instead of that money being from big corporations, it will come more from individuals," he said.

But that doesn't mean all donors will be uniform.

Donors who want to give more can funnel it in other ways, giving to party leaders or other candidates who can pass it on to the intended target or spending it on ads and mailings themselves.

"It's largely a millionaire's club," said Dan Proft, a Republican candidate for governor. "If you're a middle-class guy who has a lot of good ideas, the message from Springfield is ‘Need not apply unless you can write big checks.’ And it's going to be an even more little club than it has been."

Here is a look at each candidate's donations that would be outlawed next year:

Pat Quinn: No other candidate has received as much of a cash infusion from political committees as Democrat Quinn, thanks to a series of checks from the Service Employees International Union PAC totaling nearly $900,000. Under the new law, SEIU's committee would only be allowed to give him a fraction of that directly. Overall, the analysis found Quinn has accepted at least $1.52 million in donations that would be forbidden next year, more than any other gubernatorial candidate.

Dan Hynes: Democrat Hynes has received at least $1.27 million in contributions that would be negated under the new law. That amount accounts for more than a third of what Hynes reported receiving since July. Hynes has benefited most from unions, which used their PACs to donate more than $1 million that would not be accepted next year.

Kirk Dillard: Republican Dillard has reported 15 donations that would exceed the limit of the future law. Those 15 excessive contributions totaled more than $598,000 in money that would not be allowed, featuring a $250,000 donation from the Illinois Education Association.

Adam Andrzejewski: Republican Andrzejewski's $34,000 in contributions that would surpass next year's limits are the lowest of any gubernatorial candidate. All three of those contributions came from individuals, highlighted by Noel Moore's $28,500 donation. He could only give the candidate $5,000 next year.

Bill Brady: Republican Brady fell in right behind Andrzejewski in terms of large donations, having accepted at least $75,020 that would go beyond next year's maximum. Most of those contributions came from businesses, including $55,000 from Springfield-based Midwest Financial Holdings L.L.C.

Dan Proft: Republican Proft has reported accepting more than $134,000 in donations that would exceed the limit under the new law. He and Andrzejewski are the only candidates to not accept any donations above the limits from businesses. Richard Uihlein, president of a wholesale company out of Waukegan, was Proft's biggest donor. Uihlein gave more than $85,000 in donations that would not be accepted next year.

Andy McKenna: Republican McKenna has accepted the most money of any gubernatorial candidate, with at least $1.97 million in donations that would exceed next year's limits. All of those donations came from individuals and businesses. Richard Duchossois and his son Craig who run Duchossois Industries Inc., contributed at least $175,000 that could not be accepted next year. Of all the Republican candidates, McKenna took the most from businesses in money that would not be allowed next year. Still, his campaign said he would like to curtail the spending even more. "Andy believes the recently signed ethics law did not go nearly far enough to correct the pay-to-play culture that has permeated state government for so long," said spokesman Lance Trover. "While he supports the campaign contribution limits enacted, he believes there is much more to be done."

Jim Ryan: Republican Ryan has reported at least $270,000 more than allowed under next year's limits. Mostly funded by individuals, Ryan received a hefty check from William Annicella, an executive vice president of sales for Camelot Paper, that netted the Republican candidate $47,000 more than would be allowed next year.

Contact Brian Feldt at brian.feldt@sj-r.com.

Donors

A look at some of the donors giving money to candidates for governor that far exceed limits to be put into place next year on political donations. This list includes donations reported by the candidates as of Wednesday afternoon to the State Board of Elections:

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